The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-03-17
galleries Of heaven, fit for angels to look at.

galleries Of heaven, fit for angels to look at. /
God knows how to make a picture.
go into "a sculptor's studio, and see him /
shaping a statue. He has a chiscl in one
hand and a mallet in the other, and he gives
a very gentle stroke-clicl1 click, clicki l |
say, ,'"VVhy don't you strike hardera' "Ohp |
he replies, "that would shatter the statue.
can't do it that way; l must do it this
way" So he works OH, and after while the |
features come out, and everybody that enters |
the studio is charmed and fascinated. Well, |
God has your soul under process Of devel- |
opment, and it is the little annoyances and |
vexations of life that are chiseling out your
immortal nature. 1t is click, click, click! /
wonder why some great providence does not |
como and with one stroke prepare you for
heaven. All, no; God says that is not the
way. And so he keeps on by strokes of little
vexations, until at last you shall be glad
spectacle for angels and for men.
You know that large fortune may be
spent in small change, and q vast amount of
moral character may so away in small deple-
ton 1t is the little troubles of life that are
having more effect upon you than tho
great ones. A swarm of loeusts will kill a
grain field sooner than the incursions of three
or four cattle. You say, "Since lost my
child, since | lost my property, have been
o different man." But yoa do not recognize
tie architecture of little annoyances, that are
hewing, digging, cutting, shaping, splitting
and interjoining your moral qualities. Rats
may sink q ship. One lucifer match NAV
send destruction through block of store
houses. Catherine de Medicis got her death
from smelling poisonous rose. Columbus, by
stopping and asking for piece of bread and
O drink of water at Franciscan convent,
was led to the discovery of a new world And
there is an intimate connection between
trifes and immensities, between nothings and
everythings.
Now, be careful to let none of those annoy
ances go through your soul unarraigned
Compel them to administer to your spiritual
wealth. The scratch Of sixpenny nail some
times produces lockjaw and the clip of a most
infnitesimal annoyance may damage you for
ever. Do not let any annoyance or perpex-
ity come across your soul without it making
you better
Our national government does not think it
belittling to put tax on pins and tax on
buckles and a tax on shoes. The individual
taxes do not amount to much, but in the ag-
gregate to millions and millions of dollars.
And would have you, o Christian man, put
high tariff on every annoyance and vexa-
lion that come through your soul This
might not amount to much in single cases,
but in the aggregate it would be a great rev
enue of spiritual strength and satisfaction,
A bee can suck honey even out of nettle:
and if you have the grace of God in your
heart, you can get sweetness out of that
which would otherwise irritate and annoy.
A returned missionary told me that COM
pany of adventurers rowing up the Ganges
river were stung to death by flies that infest
that region at certain seasons. have seen
the earth strewed with the carcasses of men
slain by insect annoyanceS. The only way to
get prepared for the great troubles of life is
TO conquer these small troubles What would
you say of q soldier who refused to load his
gun or to go into the conflict because it was
only skirmish, saying, Il am not going to
expend my ammunition on a skirmish; wait
until there comes general engagement, and
then you will sec how courageous am, and
what battling | will do" The general would
say to such man, "If you are not faithful in
sl1irmish Oh would be nothing in general
engagement" Aud I have to tell you, O
Christian men, if you cannot apply the prin-
ciples of Christ's religion on a small scale, you
will never be able to apply them on large
scale.
you possess all possible worldly prosperity. l
would haveyou each one a garden-a river
flowing through it, geraniunls and shrubs on
| the sides, and the grass and flowers as oealti-
| full as though the rainbow had fallen |
| would have you q house, splendid mansion,
| and the bed should be covered with upholstery
! dipped in the setting sun. l would have every
! hall in your house set with statues and statu-
cites, and then would have the four quarters
| of the globe pour in all their luxuries on your
| table, and you should have forks of silver
| and knives of gold, inlaid with diamonds and
| amethysts. Then you should eath one of YOU
have the finest horses, and your pick of the
| equipages of the world. Then | would have
! you live $50 years, and you should not have a
! pain or ache until the last breath. &c Not
each one Of us ?' you say. Yes, each one of
you Not to your enemies 2" Yes, the only
difference l would make with them would be
that | would put little extra gilt on their
walls and a little extra embroidery on their
slippers.
But you say, "Why does not God give us
all these things?" Ali l bethnlz myself. He
is wiser. 1t would make fools and sluggards
of us if we had our way. No man puts his
best picture in the portico or vestibule of his
house. God meant this world to be only the
vestbule of heaven, that great gallery of the
universe toward which we are aspiring. We
must not have it too good in this world or
we would want no heaven.
Polycarp was condemned to be burnt to
death. The stake was planted He was
fastened to it. The faggots were placed
around him, the fires kindled but history
tells us that the flames bent outward like the
canvas of & ship in a stout breeze, SO that the
flames, instead of destroying Polycarp, were
only wall between him and his enemies.
They had actually to destroy him with the
poniard; the flames would not touch him.
Well, my hearer, l want you to understand
that by Gods grace the flames of trial, in
stead of consuming your soul, are only going
to be a wall of defense and canopy of bless
ing. God is going to fulfill to you the bless
ing and the promise, ;,s He did to Polycarp
"When thou walkest through the fire thou
shalt not be burned" Now you do not un,
derstand; you shall know hereafter. In
heaven you will bless God even for the hor-
| no